Are you tired of messy desks, loud students, never-ending paper scraps, and unnamed assignments? Don’t worry these 10 classroom management secrets will help save your sanity! Implement some or all of these strategies below and take back control of your classroom.

(Listed are a collection of my favorite classroom management tricks tested by teachers)

Are you tired of your students losing their assignments in their messy desks? Then, you need a desk fairy. A desk fairy can be a great incentive for students and is super fun too.

How it Works:
Get a desk fairy and introduce the desk fairy to your students. You can even name it too! Then, every so often the desk fairy will appear giving positive notes or even a little treat to the students with clean desks.

Who knew cut paper scraps could be your worst nightmare? Continually picking up tiny scraps can be exhausting. Where do all those tiny scraps come from any? Have no fear the tidy tub is here!

How it Works:
Create a few different tidy tubs. Place them on group tables or desks when an activity requires a lot of cutting. Have the students place the scraps in the tidy tubs as they cut. They can empty the tidy tubs as needed.

Do you have some activities in your classroom that require a quiet voice? Are your quiet activities not always so quiet? This can be very frustrating especially when you are meeting with students. Constantly reminding students to be quiet is very disruptive to the learning in the classroom. Go ahead, give quiet critters a try.

How it Works:
Get or create quiet critters as shown above. Explain to the students that quiet critters have very sensitive ears and are afraid of loud noises. During quiet activities place the quiet critters on the desks of students who are quiet. If students get loud the quiet critters get scared and go right back in their little home.

Nothing can be more frustrating than finding assignments with no names. No matter the classroom there are always a few assignments or even tests that always come back unnamed. If this is creating a headache in your classroom then get a no name board!

How it Works:
Create a no name board with a few clothespins. When papers come back with no name on them clip them to the board. Have students check the board to see if it belongs to them.

It is not always possible to answer students questions or help them as soon as they need help. When working with a group of students, constant interruptions can slow your learning time down. Try this management system to better manage students who need help.

How it Works:
Create a waiting for the teacher board. Write students names on a clothespin. When students have questions (you can’t get to at the moment) have them clip their name to the board. They go then continue on with their work. Once you answer the students question take their name off of the board.

Again, voice levels can be very hard to control in the classroom. Yes, sometimes a quiet voice is needed, but other times whisper or table voices are okay. This can be confusing for students and frustrating for you. Try these voice level tap lights in your classroom to better manage voice levels.

How it Works:
Get or create these voice level charts. Explain to your students what each voice level means. Light up the tap light to correspond with the current voice level for your students.

Nothing is more heartbreaking than when your students just don’t get along. This next management system can help you with that. Especially, if you are struggling to build a community within your classroom. Bring your students together by working towards a common goal. Try classroom reward puzzles in your classroom.

How it Works:Get the classroom reward puzzle system for your classroom. Secretly place a class reward in an envelope. When the whole class displays positive behavior build a piece of the puzzle. Once the puzzle is complete the students get to celebrate with a reward.

Does it always seem that during guided groups your non-group students need you the most? It is also the time when you are the busiest. But, students continue to disrupt your group to ask questions. Try using this strategy to help answer students questions and give you more time.

How it Works:Create a friendly reminder for students. Implement the Ask Three Before Me strategy. Tell your students they need to ask three students before asking you for help.